Face Your Fears
by Zyre
Summary: Harry comforts his Wheezy after a very bad fright. Warnings for veeeery mild slash. :)


Title: Face Your Fears  
   
Pairing: Harry/Ron   
   
Disclaimers: I don't own their names. Heh.

  
Warnings: Pre-slashy goodness. Um, written at 1:30 in the morning, forgive the mistakes and slight disjointedness. Yeah.

  
Feedback: Is so wonderful. Really, it is.

Dedicated To Mayhem, for showing up right when I needed you and totally being cool and stuff. This bit o' fluff is for you.

**

Harry yawned and walked sleepily down the stairs to the common room. It was the middle of the night, and he'd woken to find Ron's bed empty. The redhead had stayed awake a little longer than him, arguing that he'd be able to get more done if he wasn't being distracted. Harry had, however, heard him come up the stairs and start getting ready when he'd drifted off. 

When he came around the last bend in the stairs, Harry saw a small light in front of one of the large armchairs and walked up curiously, finding Ron curled up into a very small Weasley ball. He had his arms wrapped tightly around his legs, and his face buried against his knees. 

Not wanting to alarm his friend, he made a rather large, arching path towards the chair, giving Ron plenty of time to see him before he was close enough to touch. Ron peeked up at Harry over his kneecaps, his eyes large and greatly resembling a puppy dog. Harry raised an eyebrow and stooped over so that he could look straight into the beautiful amber eyes.

"What's up, Ron?" he asked gently. Ron sat back just a little and licked his lips. 

"Nothing. Couldn't sleep."

Harry smiled. "Why? Did you have bad dreams?" Ron shook his head and stared to the side, but didn't say anything. "What was it then? You look pretty upset, man."

Ron sighed and shook his head again. "It's...just something stupid. I don't. I'm not..." He made a face and trailed off, his eyes never leaving their point of focus.

Harry pushed Ron over, forcing the tall boy to unravel himself a bit. He crawled up next to his friend and looked at him questioningly. "Come on, mate. What's up? It can't have been that stupid."

With a small sigh, Ron gave in. "I went upstairs, no problem, right? And I was getting ready for bed, and everything was fine. I was heading towards my bed so I could crawl in and put out the light, and then I saw this..." he swallowed thickly. "A really, really huge spider. On my sheets. And it was...alive..." He shuddered and wrapped his arms around his chest tightly. "God. It was so horrible."

Harry blinked. With a very small smile, he wrapped one arm around Ron's shoulders comfortingly. "Ron, honey. It's just a fucking spider."

Ron shook his head and bit back a tiny sob. "No. It's a *fucking* *spider,* Harry. One of the most vile creatures on Earth." Despite his distress, Ron leaned into Harry's embrace, welcoming the warmth.

Harry laughed gently. He saw the perfect opportunity to do something he'd wanted to do for years. He wrapped his other arm around Ron's front, and then rested his head on the redhead's shoulder. "I'll tell you what. You can sleep with me, tonight. That way you'll be safe." He couldn't see the expression on Ron's face, but he did hear the slight catch in the other's breathing.

"Harry, you think you could protect me from the evil spiders?" Harry could hear the slight amusement in Ron's voice, and lifted his head to face him. 

"Hey, I've protected you from worse, you great lump." He tried on his most fearsome glower. Ron laughed and then suddenly put his arms around Harry. 

"Yes. Yes you have." He leaned forward and pressed his face against Harry's neck, and Harry gasped very lightly. "Harry, I have a very important question to ask you." Ron's voice was slightly muffled because he was still pressed up against Harry's neck, and Harry shivered a little. 

"Okay," he said softly.

"Will you protect me from spiders every night?" 

Harry grinned and ran a hand through Ron's bright red hair. "Of course I will. Every single night." With a happy sigh, he pulled himself and Ron up out of the chair. "Come on, I'd better get started quick. I'd hate for any of them to get you while I'm unaware."

Ron grinned at him. With a quick movement, he bent over to place a kiss on Harry's cheek. "Yes. Quick."

They hurried back up to their room, and while Ron's back was turned, Harry picked the spider up and threw it out the window. They lay down together in Harry's bed, wrapped in each other's arms, and slept happily.


End file.
